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Interleague Play poses problems for O's

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By Elliot Smith
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Special to MLB.com |

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles are used to scouting and preparing to play American League East foes like Tampa Bay and the Yankees in April. Getting ready to face the Los Angeles Dodgers is another test entirely.

With Interleague Play occurring on a near-daily basis, teams must adjust their scouting to account for an unfamiliar visit from the other league.

"It's a real challenging time," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "We were here after the game until after midnight trying to get ready and we spent the whole day [Friday] trying to gather information to present to our players."

Showalter said he often uses his players who have a National League background to help with scouting, but even that isn't always reliable.

"Things change," he said. "Obviously, the Dodgers have changed a lot."

And, with the opportunity to use the designated hitter when visiting an American League park, National League teams often feel as if they have an advantage.

"They've got people they would like to DH," Showalter said. "It's a lot easier transformation for them here than it is for us going there."

Elliot Smith is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.